The arts are essential in stimulating creativity and confidence and developing innovative thinkers. Whether it’s through sculpting, drawing, painting, or crafting, children crave the opportunity to express themselves through art. Take advantage of some of the great classes for kids available all over Connecticut and avoid those messy "glitter-tastrophes" on your kitchen table. 

For more kids programs, toddler classes, and after school activities, explore our updated Guide to Kids' Classes in Connecticut.

Forget grocery store bouquets—by mid-summer, Connecticut fields are bursting with sunflowers and other brightly colored flowers, and many farms allow families to cut their own bouquets to bring home. Kids can enjoy selecting the most beautiful blooms to carefully arrange in vases, press into books, or weave into hair crowns. Bonus fun: One of these sunflower farms has a flower maze, too! 

For more PYO fun, see our list of Connecticut farms where kids can pick berries, summer fruit, and veggies.

A family camping trip is fun anytime, but a getaway to the great outdoors is especially appealing this summer. We have found several Connecticut campgrounds with fun weekend themes and great kid-friendly amenities for families to enjoy on a camping trip.

Don't forget to check out Mommy Poppins' Day Trip Guide for Connecticut, our list of short hiking trails and longer hiking trails, and our entire summer fun guide for more outdoor adventures.

Lack of fun-money doesn't have to keep families stuck inside and bored during the best season of the year: summer! For those on a budget, there are plenty of great places to visit right here in our state. This blockbuster list of free things to do in Connecticut has plenty of ideas for having fun while bonding and making memories during summer vacation.

Whether they're excited about Amelia Earhart, the Wright brothers, or Buzz Lightyear, a visit to the New England Air Museum in Connecticut is a thrill for most kids with an interest in planes or flying.

Located in Windsor Locks, not far from Hartford and just yards away from the roaring planes that land and take off daily from Bradley International Airport, this aerospace museum is home to more than 100 historic aircraft on display and plenty of hands-on, interactive exhibits sure to fuel their love of science and exploration.

Warm days and cool nights start the sweet, sweet maple syrup season. Right about now, sugar houses across Connecticut are busy collecting and evaporating clear sap into tasty, golden syrup. The traditional maple sugaring season extends from late February until late March. Here, we share the latest information on maple syrup activities and sugar house tours for Connecticut families during this year's syrup season. 

Make the most of the next couple months by checking out our favorite snowshoeing spots and snow tubing areas in our Connecticut winter fun guide.

For local families with curious kids, the Connecticut Science Center is one of the best places to spend a chilly or rainy day. Kidspace, the Engineering Lab, Invention Dimension, and Our Changing Earth are just some of the exhibits and activities that simultaneously entertain and educate youth of all ages. Also, there are traveling exhibits that change regularly, making it worthwhile to come back to the Connecticut Science Center more than once during the year. Add in take-home projects and school vacation enrichment programs, and it's no wonder that a visit to this brainy museum is one of our favorite things to do in Hartford with kids.

Read on for our 10 favorite things to do at the Connecticut Science Center—including the new dinosaur exhibit—and don't miss our Connecticut Museum Guide for more enriching outings with kids.

Do you have a child who loves adventure—or who can often be found scaling walls or scrambling up trees? While a family hike is always a great outlet for these high-energy kiddos, you might want to up the ante with a day trip to an outdoor zip line course or ropes course in Connecticut. Our state is home to a number of zip line courses with a range of age-appropriate challenges that will excite thrill-seekers young and old. 

What if the weather is cold or wet? Kids can put their climbing skills to the test at It Adventures Ropes Course in New Haven, or monkey around at these Connecticut indoor obstacle courses instead.